Alisher Qodirov, leader of Uzbekistan’s Milliy Tiklanish (National Revival) Democratic Party, has called for an end to the practice of requiring women to remove headscarves when taking passport photographs.

In a statement on his Telegram channel, Qodirov affirmed that Uzbekistan’s status as a secular state is beyond question but argued that secularism should not infringe on personal freedoms.

Prosperity Without Discrimination

“A secular state, governed by laws adopted by a popularly elected parliament and approved by a popularly elected president, allows citizens to live as they choose, as long as they do not violate the law,” Qodirov said. “Our priority is to ensure that citizens of all nationalities and beliefs can strive for prosperity without discrimination. Everyone is equal, and no one should be demeaned.”

Drawing analogies, Qodirov said that just as one citizen may choose to drink beer and another may choose not to, without having to explain themselves, women should be free to cover their hair if it aligns with their beliefs. “Advertising alcohol is prohibited by law, but if a political force wins a parliamentary majority, it could change the law, making alcohol a ‘national value’ or same-sex marriage a free choice. You grant that right,” he added.

Qodirov emphasized that all social development must rest on values. Referring to pop star Jennifer Lopez’s recent concert in Tashkent, he said: “If Jennifer Lopez wants to perform at a private, ticketed concert, as long as she doesn’t distribute drugs or promote anti-state ideas, that’s her choice. Showing her body is her decision; watching it is the decision of those who bought tickets. That’s secularism.”

By the same logic, he continued, “A woman who chooses to wear a headscarf is protected by law. We accepted public nudity as secularism; we must also accept the right to cover up. Just as we don’t tell Lopez how to dress, we shouldn’t dictate how religious women wear their headscarves nor should we force women, who have lived by their faith for years, to remove them for passport photos. Identification requirements demand an open face, not uncovered hair. Let’s extend the same tolerance to devout women as we do to Lopez.”

He concluded that secularism means equality for both believers and non-believers, “not the strong lecturing the weak about life.”

Mixed Reactions to Lopez Concert

Lopez’s August 7 performance at Tashkent’s Bunyodkor Stadium, part of her “Up All Night – Live in 2025” world tour, drew mixed reactions online. Some praised her discipline and appearance, while others criticized her revealing outfits.

Psychogenetics specialist Maryam Mahmudova told her Instagram followers that Lopez’s appearance reflected years of disciplined self-care. “At 56, she maintains her figure thanks to discipline. We, on the other hand, often feel worn out before 40, with no goals or passion. We have no right to judge anyone, instead, we should learn discipline from her, because discipline is a form of self-love,” she said.

Neurologist Bahtigul Holmurodova, who followed the concert via social media, commented: “Yesterday, JLo once again showed all Uzbeks what it means to care for every cell, mitochondrion, ribosome, and lysosome of your body.”

According to the Uzbekistan 24 TV channel, Lopez’s performance at Tashkent’s Bunyodkor Stadium sold 25,000 tickets, more than 15,000 of them to foreigners. Russian nationals bought around 7,500 tickets, while Kazakh citizens purchased about 2,500. Ticket prices ranged from 800,000 UZS (about $63.60) to 4.1 million UZS (about $325.97).